It’s World Breastfeeding Week! When a friend asked me if I was going to be blogging about it, I said probably not. I’m kind of all blogged out when it comes to breastfeeding, having written for a year now at the Breastfeeding Diaries. My monthly check-in column “Yes, We’re Still Nursing!” is just about the perfect amount of writing. Breastfeeding is part of our normal life now, as normal as me snacking on berries, eating fresh-caught fish, or having a big glass of water by my side at all times. It’s how we live, it just IS.

That’s not to say that I don’t think about it or talk about it. I’ve been happy to help out some of my loved ones who are new mommies with questions about nursing and expressing. I laugh about it, like when the UPS man encountered my nursing bra-turned-swimsuit drying on the front porch. I’m also really proud of the fact that I have nursed Joshua every single day for the last 16 1/2 months. That’s just amazing to me. I wish I had that kind of endurance in other areas of my life (dieting, exercise, laundry…). I’m very happy with how our nursing relationship is right now. I nurse Josh when we’re together and don’t worry about it when we’re apart. There’s no pumping, bottles, measuring, washing dishes, or any of the stuff that stressed me out about being a nursing, working mom. He nurses way less now than when he was a newborn, but I’d say he probably nurses about 10 times a day, just usually for shorter periods of time. But to me it’s no big deal. It’s just what we do.

I’ve thought about night weaning, but I don’t think Joshua’s ready for that yet. I do believe that he’ll wean when he’s ready, but I see no reason to push it at this point. I joke that I have no idea how I’d ever get him to sleep without nursing, as he nurses to sleep every time he’s with me, with the exception of falling asleep in the car a few times. Though he falls asleep fine when we’re apart.

Over the past 16 1/2 months, I’ve lived and breathed breastfeeding. While eating, in my sleep, in public, in private, without a cover (but sometimes with), in the bath, in the pool, at the beach, at a parade, at a tractor pull, at picnics, in a parked car, in the shade, in the sun, on the couch, lying down, walking around, sitting on the floor. Whenever, wherever.

So what’s the plan? There is no plan. I have no plans to wean him at X age, just as I have no plans to keep going until X age. If I had to make a prediction, I’d guess that his nusing duration would be measured in years, but we’ll see. We just go with the flow.

8 responses to “World Breastfeeding Week”

It’s lovely that it’s such a natural part of your lives that you don’t feel the need to come up with a “plan” as you say. I have only felt the urgency to have a “plan” because another one was coming, and after a few months of nursing while pregnant, I’m about ready to be done (maybe). I love that toddlers are often so flexible too — they might nurse a lot while with you, but they’re fine without it if need be. So much less stressful than nursing an infant!

My day is a whir of feedings right now. And I can say now that I’ve had a baby who couldn’t nurse without screaming every single time and one who eats, looks up and smiles at me when she’s done that I understand how you can have such a relaxed attitude about your relationship breastfeeding. It’s such a joy to be able to spend that time with her, even throughout the night, in peace. NOW I understand why women love breastfeeding when I never could before.

I like your attitude. My son nursed until 2 1/2. He weaned himself, like yours, nursing a little less at a time until it became a sometimes comfort bedtime thing. Now, 30 years later, I remember it as a very special time.

LOVE how you “go with the flow!”. That’s the healthiest attitude of all!

I felt exactly the same way when your were a baby, 30 years ago! And, then, again with your two younger brothers. I never expected to nurse the 3 of you for a sum of 10 years, but that’s what happened, because it was right for us.